The Magelands Box Set

by Christopher Mitchell

  She washed off the heat and dust, changed her clothes and smoked half a weedstick from her dwindling supply. The afternoon was wearing on when she headed back out into the sunshine, and the temperature had dipped from earlier. The market square was quiet as she passed through it, and few were on the road to the old tower and the pavilion. She spotted Killop, standing in the shade of the stables.

  ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Where’s Karalyn?’

  ‘I left her with Celine.’

  Daphne raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Jean was there too,’ he said. ‘Listen, I have something I need to show you.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Come on,’ he said, turning towards the line of temporary bars that had been constructed by the side of the great pavilion.

  ‘We going for a drink?’ she asked.

  ‘You might need one after you see this.’

  The bars were quiet, and Killop entered one that was almost empty, with just a few tables occupied. They walked over to a couple sitting in the corner.

  Daphne’s mouth fell open as she saw who was there.

  The woman stood.

  ‘Daphne,’ she said. ‘It’s good to see you.’

  ‘Chane,’ Daphne said. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘It’s a long story.’

  Daphne looked at the other occupant of the table. She narrowed her eyes. ‘Kylon.’

  ‘Hello, Daphne,’ he said, continuing to sit and drink his ale.

  She turned to Killop, who shrugged. ‘We knew he was coming.’

  Kylon frowned. ‘How?’

  ‘Another long story,’ Daphne said. ‘You should know that I haven’t forgiven you for telling Killop I was dead.’

  ‘An unfortunate but necessary lie,’ he said. ‘But you’re together now, which just proves you were meant to be.’

  Daphne frowned.

  ‘Sit with us,’ Kylon said.

  Killop and Daphne took seats round the table, and a waiter brought over a large jug of ale.

  Daphne glanced at Chane. ‘So you two know each other?’

  ‘We met in spring,’ she said. ‘Weir brought us together.’

  ‘Sergeant Weir?’

  ‘Yeah. He found me first, in some drinking dive in the River Holdings. One of the regulars was also ex-cavalry, and told Weir I was back. And then, in spring, he found Kylon.’

  ‘I’d been asking around the towns for anyone who knew how to find Daphne Holdfast,’ Kylon said, ‘but the imperial recruiters were out in force and I had to lie low. Eventually someone told me about a sergeant who had served with you in Sanang, and I was introduced to Weir. He took me to a safe house, where I met Chane. A little while back he told us that you had returned to Hold Fast, and we waited for the festival, so we wouldn’t stand out too much.’

  ‘Did you come by yourselves?’

  ‘Aye,’ Kylon said. ‘Weir stayed in the River Holdings. He’s in charge of putting up roadblocks if and when the recruiters return. The folk down there are angry, angry enough to put up a fight if the army try to enlist any more of them.’

  ‘It’s all ready to kick off,’ Chane said. ‘A lot of people are talking about resisting. And they’re furious with the church.’

  ‘Is that why you’re here?’ Daphne said. ‘To tell me this?’

  Chane chewed her lip. ‘I don’t know, to be honest. It was Kylon who kept insisting that he needed to see you, and when Weir told us you were back, he asked if I’d go along with him, since I knew the way, and I said yes.’ She lit a cigarette. ‘Look, I’m sorry about how we parted, and for some of the things I said. I was in a dark place at the time. It took me until we’d got back to Sanang to realise that Agang was never going to change, and I got out. Just in time, as it happens. Keira arrived not long after.’ She nodded at Kylon. ‘With him at her side.’

  ‘You were with her?’ Killop said.

  ‘Right up until the final battle before the walls of Plateau City.’

  ‘Are the imperials looking for you?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Aye,’ he said. ‘I’m a wanted man.’

  ‘But you didn’t see what happened to my sister?’ Killop asked.

  ‘No, but I’ve heard nothing else since I left the Plateau and entered the Holdings.’

  He picked up his ale and took a long draught.

  ‘It’s not true, Killop,’ he said, his dark eyes glinting in the dim light. ‘Keira’s alive.’

  ‘But if you left before the battle,’ Daphne said, ‘how do you know? Have you seen her?’

  ‘The morning after the battle,’ Kylon said, ‘Kalayne came to me in my dreams, and gave me a message. He told me to go to the Holdings, and said that he was taking Shella to meet up with Keira in Kellach Brigdomin.’

  ‘He was with Shella?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Aye. He’d rescued her from where she was being held, and was going to smuggle her out of the city.’

  Killop narrowed his eyes and stared at Kylon. ‘So Kalayne told you my sister was alive?’

  Kylon nodded. ‘And when was he ever wrong?’

  Killop bowed his head, and clenched his eyes shut.

  ‘And he’s taking Shella to Kellach Brigdomin?’ Daphne said.

  ‘I don’t know any more,’ Kylon said. ‘That was the last time I’ve been in contact with Kalayne. He said he’d visit me in my dreams again, but hasn’t. Also, some time ago he told me there was a point beyond which he’d never seen himself in a vision. We have now passed that point, and I fear the worst.’

  ‘You believe he’s dead?’

  ‘I can’t think of any other reason that would prevent him from contacting me. He had a plan, and my coming to the Holdings was part of it.’

  Daphne took a sip of ale. Keira was alive, but Kalayne dead? She wasn’t sure if she should trust anything Kylon said, not after the way he had lied to them before. She glanced at him. He looked almost spectral, thin and gaunt, pale-skinned with his straight black hair falling over his shoulders. He was wearing his long leather overcoat, but looked untroubled by the heat.

  ‘I am here,’ he said, ‘to fulfil what may be the final task Kalayne has set me.’

  ‘And what’s that?’

  Kylon gazed at her with his dark eyes. ‘Your daughter, Miss Holdfast. Kalayne told me to stay close by, and protect her with my life.’

  ‘What makes you think I’ll let you anywhere near my daughter?’

  ‘Because my intentions are true,’ he said. ‘From this moment forwards, I pledge my life to protect Karalyn Holdfast, unto death. And I’ll do that, whether you give me permission or not.’

  Chapter 5

  Drunk in Domm

  Westgate, Domm Pass – 29th Day, First Third Summer 507

  ‘And then,’ Laodoc said, raising his arm, ‘as the first rays of dawn broke over the eastern horizon, the Lord Commander of the great Alliance army gave the order to attack, and the glistening ranks of Holdings heavy cavalry began rumbling towards the walls of the Rahain Capital. To their right marched the forces of Lord Agang, and to their left charged the gallant battalions of Kellach Brigdomin. In the centre of the walls directly ahead of them lay the blocked gatehouse…’

  ‘That’s where I was,’ smirked Keira, as the packed crowd listened.

  ‘Yes, indeed,’ Laodoc said, ‘and Miss Flora as well, I believe?’

  Flora nodded as she sipped her whisky.

  ‘Now,’ Laodoc said, ‘between the gatehouse and the charging Alliance soldiers was the army of the lawless and cruel regime that ruled Rahain, the regime that had previously committed such heinous atrocities as the invasion of your lands, and the destruction of the Rakanese refugee camp…’

  Keira coughed, and shook her head.

  ‘This army,’ Laodoc carried on, ‘began loosing their thousands of crossbows at the advancing Alliance forces, while above the gatehouse, on a platform cut out of the rock, a dozen stone-throwing machines were unleashed, bombarding the lines of horses and soldiers below, inflicting calamitous ruin w
herever they struck. Just as it seemed that disaster was about to strike down the noble Alliance forces, suddenly there appeared a great blazing fire on the hillside.’

  The crowd inside the tavern cheered, drowning out the sound of the rain hitting the closed shutters.

  Keira smirked. The folk in the tavern knew this story well, and Laodoc had been asked to tell it for three nights running.

  ‘It was Killop,’ Laodoc cried over the noise of the crowd. ‘The great chief of the mighty Severed Clan, who, having brought his army of brave Kellach Brigdomin over the snow-covered mountains in the middle of winter, had arrived to save the day!’

  The crowd cheered again, and raised their mugs.

  ‘His young fire mage, Lilyann, destroyed the stone-throwers, smashing them into flaming pieces, then dropped her fire onto the ranks of enemy soldiers below. At once, the Alliance army took heart, and charged on with renewed vigour, capturing the gatehouse and entering the city. And so, my friends, the day was won, and the slaves of Rahain were freed.’

  Applause mixed with the cheers as the crowd acknowledged the old man.

  ‘Thank you, my friends, thank you,’ he said, blushing.

  ‘Fucksake,’ Keira muttered, ‘look at him milking it.’

  ‘Jealous?’ Flora said.

  ‘Fuck off,’ Keira said. ‘I’m glad he’s getting the attention. Means I can just relax and get pished while he does all the talking.’

  ‘Yeah, right.’

  Keira glared at her. ‘Yer a right wee lippy cow these days.’

  Kelpie came over to their table as the crowds began to disperse.

  ‘Laodoc,’ she grinned, sitting and putting her arm over his shoulder. Keira sniggered.

  Kelpie ignored her. ‘Once again, my fine Rahain gentleman, you’ve done the job for me. Takings are up, and the place has been mobbed for days. You’re quite the draw.’

  ‘It’s my pleasure, Madam Kelpie. I’m flattered and surprised that anyone would want to listen to the tales of a boring old man like me.’

  Kelpie laughed.

  ‘You two can borrow my room if you want,’ Keira said.

  Kelpie tutted. ‘What’s the matter with you?’

  ‘It’s disgusting watching the pair of ye. I don’t want to have to see old folk getting it on.’

  ‘Ignore her,’ Flora said, ‘she’s just jealous Laodoc’s stolen all her attention.’

  ‘Am I fuck,’ Keira snorted.

  ‘It does seem that way,’ said Agang from her right.

  She turned to him. ‘And when are you going to speak up? Why don’t you tell the crowds a tale? What about the one where I kicked yer arse?’

  ‘Maybe I should,’ he said. ‘I’m sure all your admirers would love to hear how you rained down fire on a town of innocent men, women and children, and I had to surrender to stop you slaughtering them.’

  ‘You were in our way,’ she shrugged. ‘We did what we had to do to stop the Emperor.’

  ‘But you didn’t, did you?’

  She growled at him. ‘Fuck you, eight-thirds, at least I managed a better go of it than you did.’

  ‘Behave, Keira,’ Kelpie said. ‘Anyway, that’s you lot done. You’ve got the rest of the night off.’

  She stood, and walked off to the bar. Bay and Dora, who had been hanging around like flies, came over to their table.

  ‘Can we sit?’

  ‘No,’ said Keira, as Laodoc said ‘Yes’ at the same time.

  Keira frowned. ‘Fuck it, all right.’

  The two young women sat.

  ‘Where’s Dean?’ Dora said.

  ‘Fucked if I know,’ Keira said.

  ‘I think he’s coming along later,’ Flora said. ‘I don’t think he likes the crowds.’

  ‘Fancy him, do ye?’ Keira said.

  Dora went red.

  ‘She does, aye,’ Bay said.

  ‘He’s about your age, Dora,’ Flora said, ‘and he’s a good looking boy. Why not?’

  ‘You knew him in Rahain, Mister Laodoc,’ Bay said. ‘Did he have any girlfriends?’

  ‘Not that I know of, dear,’ Laodoc said, ‘but Killop was quite strict, and kept Dean in the estate house most of the time.’

  ‘Why?’ said Dora. ‘Was he a troublemaker?’

  ‘No, it was to keep secret the fact that he was a fire mage.’

  Keira snorted. ‘He’s not a fire mage yet, if he’ll ever be one.’

  ‘Aye he is,’ said Dora. ‘Not in the same league as you, of course.’

  Flora refilled everyone’s glasses with whisky.

  Laodoc put his hand over his glass. ‘No more for me, Miss Flora, thank you.’ He turned to Keira. ‘Would now be a good time to hold a discussion?’

  Keira scowled. ‘About what?’

  ‘About our plans for the future.’

  Keira sighed, downed her whisky, and poured herself another.

  ‘I’ve been listening to everything Agang has told me,’ Laodoc went on, ‘and I’ve heard the tales you have to tell. In my opinion, if everything you say is correct, then the world is in a most perilous situation.’

  ‘Ach well,’ Keira said. ‘It’s a shite world anyway.’

  ‘The Emperor has gained powers beyond all measure,’ Laodoc said. ‘And sooner or later, he will discover that you are alive and well, and living out your days in a tavern in Domm.’

  ‘We’re endangering everyone with our presence here,’ Agang said. ‘Maybe it’ll take some time for the Emperor to cast his eye southwards, but it’s inevitable that he’ll come, if he knows you’re here.’

  ‘Let’s fucking hear it then,’ Keira said.

  ‘What?’ said Laodoc.

  ‘Yer plan, lizardface. I assume you’ve fucking got one?’

  Laodoc’s tongue flickered. ‘Indeed. We organise a small force, two dozen maybe, and search for Mage Shella.’

  Keira started to laugh. ‘Yer fucking kidding me, right? Search for Shella? Yer out of yer fucking minds.’

  Laodoc frowned.

  ‘She’s drunk,’ said Flora. ‘Maybe now’s not the best time to engage her in constructive dialogue.’

  ‘I think you’re right, Miss Flora,’ Laodoc said. He glanced at Agang. ‘Shall we?’

  Agang nodded, and the two men got to their feet.

  ‘Night all,’ Agang said, and they left the tavern.

  ‘Pair of fucking eejits,’ Keira muttered, slugging back more whisky.

  ‘Mage Keira,’ said Bay, ‘are we in danger?’

  ‘Nah. We’re safe down here.’

  ‘But the Emperor…?’

  ‘Can kiss my arse,’ Keira said. ‘Wanker.’

  ‘The Emperor’s got a lot more to worry about than us,’ Flora said. ‘Rahain’s in a civil war, Sanang’s in anarchy and fuck knows what’s going on in the rest of the world. It’ll be a long time before he even hears about Domm.’

  ‘But when he does?’

  ‘Don’t worry about it, hen,’ Keira said. ‘Any fucker comes to Domm, I’ll fry his arse off.’

  Bay nodded, but her eyes were troubled.

  ‘Here he comes,’ Dora whispered.

  Keira glanced up, and saw Dean walk past the bar towards them, looking younger than his seventeen years.

  He flushed when he noticed Dora sitting at the table.

  ‘Hi, Dean,’ Flora said. ‘You want an ale?’

  ‘Aye, thanks,’ Dean said, taking a seat while Flora poured him a mug.

  Bay shook her head at Dora, whose eyes were fixed on the table, her cheeks flushed.

  ‘What you been up to?’ Flora asked him.

  ‘Not much,’ he said. ‘Just reading in my room.’

  ‘Fucksake,’ Keira said. ‘Call yerself a fire mage? Reading? At your age ye should be out raising havoc and causing mischief, and fighting off the lassies with a shitty stick. Is this how my brother raised ye?’

  Dean lowered his head. ‘Me and a hundred other kids were locked up in a Rahain camp for years, and Chief Killop rescued us.
But I never got to go out. I wasn’t allowed to leave the big house because I was a fire mage, so I didn’t have any friends. Except for Lilyann, but she ran away.’

  Dora gazed at the boy, her eyes full of pity.

  ‘Boo hoo,’ said Keira. ‘Sounds like Killop kept ye safe enough, but now that yer here ye can relax.’ She filled a glass with whisky and passed it across the table to him. ‘Drink this, ye’ve got some catching up to do.’

  Two hours later, Keira opened another bottle of whisky.

  ‘I think he’s had enough,’ Flora said.

  ‘Fuck off,’ Keira muttered. ‘The boy’s got to learn sometime.’

  Dean picked up his refilled glass, grinning. Dora was sitting next to him, the whisky having emboldened both of them. Bay sat looking bored to the side, as Dora whispered in the boy’s ear.

  ‘I wish I had some fucking weed,’ Keira said.

  ‘So do I,’ said Flora.

  ‘You miss it, eh?’

  ‘Not really, but you’re less of an arsehole when you smoke, compared to when you just drink.’

  ‘Are you here just to fucking nip ma head?’

  ‘I enjoy winding you up, it’s one of the few pleasures I have left.’

  ‘Ye should get yourself fucking laid,’ Keira said. ‘A bit of Kellach love action is what you’re needing.’

  ‘One can hope.’

  ‘I’ll set ye up, hen,’ Keira said. ‘Just leave it to me. I’ve noticed Kendrie eyeing ye up. He smells a bit funny, but I could make him have a bath first.’

  Flora frowned and shook her head.

  ‘All right, maybe not him,’ Keira said, her eyes scanning the few remaining regulars at the bar, ‘but I’ll find ye a sturdy lad.’

  ‘Please don’t.’

  ‘What? I thought ye wanted to get laid?’

  ‘Never mind,’ Flora said. ‘Can we talk about something else?’

  Keira smirked. ‘Come on, when’s the last time ye had a cock between yer legs?’

  ‘Fuck off, Keira.’

  Keira laughed and downed her whisky. She glanced over to Dean and Dora, who were both giggling.